U.S. patent application number 10/502540 was filed with the patent office on 2005-07-14 for arc welding cable.
Invention is credited to Haniya, Kazuhiro, Ichibangase, Atsushi, Maeda, Shunsuke, Muragaki, Koji, Nishikawa, Seigo, Nishimura, Kazuhiko, Tomiyasu, Kazuhiro.
Application Number | 20050150883 10/502540 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27677956 |
Filed Date | 2005-07-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050150883 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Tomiyasu, Kazuhiro ; et
al. |
July 14, 2005 |
Arc welding cable
Abstract
An arc welding cable that is resistant to bending and twisting
and can give a long life is provided. For this purpose, an arc
welding cable (65) for supplying a welding current, a welding wire
and a sealed gas from a wire feeding device (61) to a welding torch
(64), has a passage (4) for the welding wire (2) and sealed gas is
located at a center of the arc welding cable and a plurality of
conductors (5) are arranged apart from one another on a
circumference around the passage (4). The space between the
plurality of conductor (5) may be filled with a cushion material
such as cotton or elastic synthetic resin.
Inventors: |
Tomiyasu, Kazuhiro;
(Fukuoka, JP) ; Muragaki, Koji; (Fukuoka, JP)
; Nishikawa, Seigo; (Fukuoka, JP) ; Haniya,
Kazuhiro; (Fukuoka, JP) ; Ichibangase, Atsushi;
(Fukuoka, JP) ; Maeda, Shunsuke; (Fukuoka, JP)
; Nishimura, Kazuhiko; (Fukuoka, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
SUGHRUE MION, PLLC
2100 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE, N.W.
SUITE 800
WASHINGTON
DC
20037
US
|
Family ID: |
27677956 |
Appl. No.: |
10/502540 |
Filed: |
July 27, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
February 3, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP03/01087 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
219/137.9 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H01R 13/005 20130101;
B23K 9/32 20130101; H01R 13/562 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
219/137.9 |
International
Class: |
B23K 009/32 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Feb 8, 2002 |
JP |
2002-032184 |
Claims
1. An arc welding cable for supplying a welding current, a welding
wire and a sealed gas from a wire feeding device to a welding
torch, comprising: a passage for the welding wire and the sealed
gas, the passage being located at a center of the arc welding
cable, wherein a plurality of conductor is provided so as to be
apart from one another on a circumference around the passage.
2. The arc welding cable as set forth in claim 1, wherein spaces
defined among the plurality of conductors are filled with a cushion
material.
3. The arc welding cable as set forth in claim 2, wherein the
cushion material is cotton.
4. The arc welding cable as set forth in claim 2, wherein the
cushion material is an elastic synthetic resin.
5. The arc welding cable as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
conductors are covered wires that are covered with an
insulator.
6. The arc welding cable as set forth in claim 1, wherein a code
made of a fiber with a high tensile strength is located at a center
of the conductor.
7. The arc welding cable as set forth in claim 1, further
comprising: a shaft that is provided on an end portion of the arc
welding cable and engages with a socket of the wire feeding device
or the welding torch so as to pass the welding current and sealed
gas; a first caulking portion that caulks with the conductors to
electrically connect the shaft with the arc welding cable; and a
second caulking portion which collectively caulks a hose for the
sealed gas, the conductors and a sheath of an outer layer of the
arc welding cable onto the shaft to mechanically connect the shaft
with the arc welding cable.
8. The arc welding cable as set forth in claim 1, wherein the each
conductors is a twisted pair wire comprising of a pair of a
right-twisted strand of wires twisted clockwise and a left-twisted
strand of wires twisted counterclockwise.
9. The arc welding cables as set forth in claim 1, wherein a part
of the conductors is a signal line.
10. The arc welding cables as set forth in claim 1, further
comprising a cooling water hose, wherein a part of the conductors
is replaced with the cooling water hose.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This invention relates to an arc welding cable for supplying
a welding current, a welding wire and a sealed gas from a wiring
feeding device to a welding torch.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] A welding robot is now being widely used for performing arc
welding with a welding torch for arc welding that is attached to
the tip of a vertical articulated robot.
[0003] FIG. 5 shows the outward appearance of this welding robot.
In FIG. 5, reference numeral 51 denotes a vertical articulated
robot; and reference numeral 52 denotes its upper arm. a wrist 53
which can perform the operation with three degrees of freedom
(slewing, swing and rotation) is attached to the tip of the upper
arm 52. Reference numeral 61 denotes a wire feeding device. The
wire feeding device 61 is fixed to the upper arm 52 to extract a
welding wire 63 from a wire reel 62 and extrude the welding wire 63
to a welding torch 64 attached to the wrist 53. Reference numeral
65 denotes a welding cable. The welding cable 65 connects the wire
feeding device 61 and the welding torch 64. The welding cable 65 is
provided with a tubular passage at the center through which a
welding wire is passed. The welding cable 65 binds a hose for
supplying a sealed gas, an electric wire for supplying a welding
current and various kinds of signal lines, which are arranged
around the tubular passage.
[0004] Meanwhile, in such a conventional welding robot, the wire
feeding device 61 is fixed to the upper arm 52. The welding torch
64 attached to the wrist 53, which performs the operation with
three degrees of freedom, moves freely. The welding cable 65,
therefore, repeats bending or twisting. This presented a problem
that the welding cable 65 might be broken owing to stress.
[0005] Particularly, if the welding cable 65 is located near the
upper arm 52 and wrist 53 (as shown by dotted line in FIG. 5) in
order that it does not interferes with objects in the vicinity of
the robot 51 (e.g. a welding workpiece or jig), the bending radius
is small and the length is also short. The bending stress and
twisting stress, correspondingly, become large. This presented a
problem of further shortening the life of the welding cable 65.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
[0006] This invention intends to provide an arc welding cable that
is resistant to bending and twisting and can give a long life.
[0007] In order to solve the above problem, according to the
present invention of claim 1, there is provides an arc welding
cable for supplying a welding current, a welding wire and a sealed
gas from a wire feeding device to a welding torch, having a passage
for the welding wire and the sealed gas is located at a center of
the arc welding cable, wherein a plurality of conductors are
provided so as to be apart from one another on a circumference
around the passage.
[0008] Further, according to the present invention of claim 2,
spaces defined among the plurality of conductors are filled with a
cushion material.
[0009] Further more, according to the present invention of claim 3,
the cushion material is cotton.
[0010] Further more, according to the present invention of claim 4,
the cushion material is an elastic synthetic resin.
[0011] Further more, according to the present invention of claim 5,
the conductors are covered wires that are covered with an
insulator.
[0012] Further more, according to the present invention of claim 6,
a code made of a fiber with a high tensile strength is located at a
center of the conductor.
[0013] Further more, according to the present invention of claim 7,
the arc welding cable further has a shaft that is provided on an
end portion thereof and engages with a socket of the wire feeding
device or the welding torch so as to pass the welding current and
sealed gas, a first caulking portion that caulks with the
conductors to electrically connect the shaft with the arc welding
cable and a second caulking portion which collectively caulks a
hose for the sealed gas, the conductors and a sheath of an outer
layer of the arc welding cable onto the shaft to mechanically
connect the shaft with the arc welding cable.
[0014] Further more, according to the present invention of claim 8,
the each conductor is a twisted pair wire having of a pair of a
right-twisted strand of wires twisted clockwise and a left-twisted
strand of wires twisted counterclockwise.
[0015] Further more, according to the present invention of claim 9,
a part of the conductors is a signal line.
[0016] Further more, according to the present invention of claim
10, the arc welding cables further has a cooling water hose,
wherein a part of the conductors is replaced with the cooling water
hose.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an arc welding cable
showing a first embodiment of this invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a detailed cross sectional view of a conductor
showing the first embodiment of this invention;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the end of an arc
welding cable showing the first embodiment of this invention;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of an arc welding cable
showing a second embodiment of this invention;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a view for explaining the configuration of a
welding robot.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0022] Now referring to the drawings, an explanation will be given
of embodiments of this invention.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of an arc welding cable
showing a first embodiment of this invention. In FIG. 1, reference
numeral 1 denotes an arc welding cable; and reference 2 denotes a
welding wire. The welding wire 2 is fed from a wire feeding device
(not shown) toward a welding torch through a conduit liner 3
located at the center of the arc welding cable 1. Namely, the
interior space of the conduit liner 3 constitutes a welding wire
passage. Reference numeral 4 denotes a gas hose for supplying a
sealed gas to the welding torch not shown. Reference numeral 5
denotes one of conductors arranged on the outer periphery of the
gas hose 4. In this figure, six conductors are arranged. The
conductor 5 is a wire for passing a welding current. Reference
numeral 6 denotes a holding tape wound around the outer periphery
of the conductors 5. Reference numeral 7 denotes a sheath located
at the outermost side of the arc welding cable 1 for sheathing the
conductors 5. The sheath 7 is made of PVC (polyvinyl chloride) with
high heat-resistance, insulating property and elasticity.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a detailed cross sectional view of the conductor
5. The conductor 5 includes a code 8 of a fiber with a high tensile
strength (e.g. Kevlar of DuPont.TM.) arranged at the center, 6
(six) sets of strands 9 arranged around the code 8 and 12 (twelve)
sets of the same strands 9 arranged further around them. The strand
9 consists of 7 (seven) sets of twists each having 13 (thirteenth)
tied soft iron wires each 0.8 mm in diameter. The conductor 5 has
both softness and strength since the tensile strength is shared by
the code 8.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the end of an arc
welding cable showing the first embodiment of this invention. In
FIG. 3, reference numeral 21 denotes a shaft that is a hollow
cylinder of bronze. The shaft 21 is fit in a socket of a welding
torch not shown so that a welding current is passed through the
welding torch. The shaft is connected to a gas hose 4 of the arc
welding cable 1 through a cap 22 so that a sealed gas flows through
the cylinder portion.
[0026] Reference numeral 23 denotes a caulking pipe that is formed
of a copper cylinder. In FIG. 3, at a portion A, the conductors 5
are located outside the shaft 4, and a caulking pipe 23 is located
outside the conductors 5. The conductors 5 are firmly crimped on
the shaft 21 through "caulking" by the caulking pipe 23. In this
way, at the portion A, an electric connection is made between the
conductors 5 and the shaft 21. Incidentally, it is needless to say
that at the portion A, the code 8 (not shown in FIG. 3) at the
center of the conductor 5 is also simultaneously crimped.
[0027] At portion B in FIG. 3, the gas hose 4 is located outside
the cap 22; the conductors 5 are located outside the gas hose 4;
and a sheath 7 is located outside the conductors 5. The sheath 7,
conductors 5 and gas hole 4 are fixed to the cap 22 through
"caulking" by the caulking pipe 23. In this way, at the portion B,
a mechanical connection is made between the arch welding cable 1
and the shaft 21. Namely, the force of bending or twisting applied
by the arc welding cable 1 is shared by portion B so that it is
transmitted to the shaft 21. In the portion on the right side of
portion B, the conductors 5 are free from the gas hose 4 and sheath
7 so that they are freely movable in the gap between the gas hose 4
and the sheath 7.
[0028] Reference numeral 24 denotes an insulating cover. The
insulating cover 24 is formed of a rubber cylinder, The insulating
cover 24 covers the connecting portion between the arc welding
cable 1 and the shaft 21 so that they are electrically insulated.
Incidentally, the welding wire 2, conduit liner 3 and holding tape
6 are not shown in FIG. 3 in order to avoid complication.
[0029] As shown in FIG. 1, the conductors 5 are arranged in an
annular space 10 between the gas hose 4 and the holding tape 6. The
space 10 between the six conductors 5 is not filled with any
material. The conductors 5, therefore, can be moved or deformed in
the space 10. Thus, when the deformation of bending or twisting is
occurred on the arc welding cable 1, the conductors 5 move in a
direction of alleviating the bending or twisting within the space
10. Accordingly, even when a large bending or twisting is occurred
on the arc welding cable 1, the conductors 5 suffer from only small
stress.
[0030] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of an arc welding cable
showing a second embodiment of this invention. In FIG. 4, like
reference numerals refer to like elements in the first embodiment.
In FIG. 4, reference numeral 11 denotes cotton filling the space
between the sixth conductors 5. The cotton 11 serves as a cushion
material between the conductors 5. Namely, when the arc welding
cable 1 suffers from bending or twisting, the cotton slowly deforms
the conductors 5 and disperses the deformation of the conductors 5
so that it is not concentrated to a specific spot. When the bending
or twisting has come loose, the deformation of the conductors
slowly returns to the initial state by the action of the cotton
11.
[0031] The cotton 11 may be replaced by other material or substance
as long as cushion that serves as a buffer. For example, various
kinds of elastic synthetic resins may fill the space between the
conductors 5.
[0032] In the embodiments described above, the conductor 5 does not
have a cover, but it may be a covered wire. Further, the conductor
5 may be a twisted pair wire that is a set of two strands twisted
in different directions (one twisted clockwise and the other
twisted counterclockwise). In the case of the twisted pair wire,
when the conductor 5 suffers from twisting, the one strand is
tightened whereas the other strand is loosened. This increases the
strength of the conductor against the twisting.
[0033] Further, a part of the six conductors 5 may be replaced by a
signal wire, e.g. a signal wire for a shock sensor for detecting
that the welding torch 64 has collided with a workpiece. In this
way, since the signal wire that has been wired separately from the
arc welding cable 1 is integrated to the arc welding cable 1,
possibility of breaking the signal wire due to its snagging on the
workpiece is reduced, and the appearance of the arc welding cable 1
is made neat.
[0034] Further, a part of the conductor 5 may be replaced by a hose
for cooling water for cooling the welding torch 64. Integration of
the cooling water hose to the arc welding cable 1 reduces the
possibility of breaking the cooling water hose.
[0035] As understood from the description hitherto made, in the
invention described in claim 1, a plurality of conductors are
arranged apart from one another on a circumference around the
sealed gas passage. For this reason, when the arc welding cable
suffers from bending or twisting, the conductors move in a
direction of escaping from the deformation due to the bending or
twisting, thereby reducing the stress due to the bending or
twisting. This presents an effect of increasing the life of the
welding cable.
[0036] In the inventions described in claims 2 to 4, the space
between the respective conductors is filled with cotton or resin
serving as a cushion material. This alleviates concentration of the
deformation of the conductors to a specific point, thereby
presenting an effect of further increasing the life of the welding
cable.
[0037] In the invention described in claim 5, the conductors are
defined as covered wires. This presents an effect of preventing a
danger of electrical leak even when the sheath is broken.
[0038] In the invention described in claim 6, a code made of a
fiber with a high tensile strength is located at the center of the
conductor. This presents an effect of providing the arc welding
cable having both mechanical strength and flexibility.
[0039] In the invention described in claim 7 includes a first
caulking portion which electrically connects the shaft to the arc
welding cable and a second caulking portion which mechanically
couples them so that external force is applied to the first
caulking portion. This presents an effect of increasing the
reliability of the electrical coupling portion.
[0040] In the invention described in claim 8, the conductor is
defined as a twisted pair wire. This presents an effect of making
the conductor more resistant to twisting, thereby lengthening the
life of the welding cable.
[0041] In the inventions described in claims 9 and 10, the signal
wire or cooling water hose is integrated to the welding cable. This
presents an effect of reducing danger of breaking the signal wire
or cooling water hose.
[0042] [Industrial Applicability]
[0043] This invention is useful as an arc welding cable for
supplying a welding current, a welding wire and a sealed gas from a
wire feeding device to a welding torch.
* * * * *